NOT JUST A GIFT

chapter 1

Wow, unlike every other day, the street was cozy that morning but to Charles Davidson, it's Dead cold, it's September 13th, and it's Charles Davidson's birthday. A tech guru is celebrating his birthday without his grandma.

He looked at the sparkling candles on his birthday cake, and all he could think of was his grandma. His younger brother, Alex. had surprised him by putting all this together for the birthday celebration at their favorite place. Though Charles is not a party freak, this is gorgeous to behold, balloons everywhere, his pictures everywhere, and a big banner to read a bit about him in a slide-like kind of display.

He could perceive the aroma of freshly made food and chocolate cake his favorite, and the applauds from the crowd were something else and wonderful to behold family members and friends were all around although he's not a friend and family type, Alex has indeed brought all of them together just to celebrate with Him,

He blew out the candles, his heart was filled with emotions he made a silent wish as he closed his eyes to know if it was a dream which was not. He wished for a child in fulfillment of his grandma's wish. Not knowing how close the future was to him, he feared and prayed that it wouldn't cause him regrets or lead him to a bad life.

Hoping the party would come to an end, Alex announced that there would be a continuation, and at the club this time, everyone was excited and satisfied as laughter and chatter filled the air.

Charles' family and friends showered him with loads of gifts and well wishes, It's amazing how he never got to know many of them. But they knew him very well because each gift was better than the other.

His brother, Alex. He even prepared an amazing film showing their childhood memories and milestones, Charles felt grateful for everything that had happened.

One thing he couldn't keep off his mind was the feeling of restlessness, He had always been close to his grandma, and her passing had left a hollow in his heart that was yet to be filled they settled down to devour the cake, because, everyone wanted a bite already.
The chocolate creamy look couldn't be ignored, he had concurrently noticed how the cake had kept some people salivating, amidst all of this Charles's mind strayed to his grandma's last words: " Charles, don't grandma me. When are you giving me grandchildren? Family is everything to me. You know, since I only have you and Alex."

He had always wished that he would give his grandma lots of grandchildren. Although she was gone, Charles felt he could still make her happy wherever she was.
His wish earlier on kept his hope alive, as they were about to cut the cake, Alex made an announcement, "It's party after party as we move to the next level heading to the club Eclipse for a night to remember" The room filled with excitement and cheers filled the air, some friends catcalling and whistling. Charles's heart dropped, however, he has Never been a fan of clubs, loud music, and drunks The thought of being surrounded by strangers and deafening music, let alone a crowd, made him uncomfortable, but to ruin the party for his brother, was one thing he feared the most. His brother. Alex had gone through a lot to make this a special day. He understood very well what this meant to  Alex, who had done it all for him, squeezing out time off his busy schedule for this. Meant the whole world to him and he appreciated the effort. With a bright smile, he nodded along, willing to go to the club and endure it all for his brother's sake, They left the restaurant and headed towards the club. Charles felt a sense of consternation. He had always been a space-conscious kind of person who wanted just his own space. This had clearly distinguished him from the clubbing types who liked that club space, but he was determined to make the most of it for his brother's sake, he'll pretend to enjoy himself and put on a brave look.
The drive to the club was stupidly short, he was not aware that any club was that close by, As soon as they arrived they could hear the music and cheers from the club, The crowd was huge even with the air-conditioners situated around, and the place was sticky and hot, but trust Alex, he had arranged for VIP access, and they quickly ushered them in. The music was loud, the stereoscopic lightning made Charles's head spin, he stuck close to his brother, trying to make sense of the happening more of chaos around him as they made their way to the bar, Charles noticed a group of people staring at him. He felt self-conscious, Wondering if he had anything on his face or if his clothes were not well organized, as he caught the eyes of some beautiful ladies across the room, he realized that the attention was not due to any flaws as he had taught of it to be, but rather it was caused by his attractiveness. The ladies smiled and some even winked at him, Charles felt his heart skip a bit and couldn't help but stare back, taking in the different piercing eyes and some long, Curly, and blonde-headed Ladies. The ladies were stunning with gorgeous smiles, and Charles couldn't help but wonder if this encounter might be a chance to start something special and better. He quickly waved off the thought, reminding himself that a highly respected and self-valued man in a committed relationship, wouldn't cheat, no matter how tempting the situation seemed. He loved his girlfriend, Rachel, and was grateful for her presence in his life, even if she wasn't available to celebrate his birthday with him. Little Did he know that the night had just begun, and the surprises yet to unfold would change his life forever.